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UNTRAMMELED REFUGE IN CALIFORNIA

KINGS CANYON NA- TIONAL PARK, Calif. —Just coming out of its nine‐month cocoon of snow is one of this country's most spectacular but least­known national parks — Kings Canyon. Nearly two‐thirds the size of Rhode Island, Kings Canyon does not receive nearly as much attention from tourists as either Yosemite to the north or Sequoia to the south. But for the outdoorsman who wants to view untrammeled California mountain country, Kings Can­yon is almost a last refuge.

This is the home of the Gener­al Grant Grove of giant sequoi­as. More important, the park is the gateway to the wonder world of the High Sierra, with its hundreds of diamond‐blue lakes, snow‐capped peaks and surprisingly lush meadows at elevations over 10,000 feet.

The motorist can choose be­tween two approaches to Kings Canyon. The easier one follows State Route 180 east from Fres­no, a gradual 60‐mile climb from the floor of the San Jo­aquin Valley to the 6,000‐foot Big Stump Checking Station. Trailers can be hauled without strain up this route.

The other approach, via State Route 198 from Visalia or Tu­lare, runs first through Sequoia National Park. But this 75‐mile stretch is tortuous and its steep grades pose problems for those hauling heavy loads.

In late spring, the hundreds of giant sequoias in the General Grant Grove receive their an­nual sustenance from the melt­ing snows. The grove, with its 250‐foot cathedral arches of centuries‐old trees, stands ma­jestically just inside the park entrance.

Park headquarters and the General Grant Grove Lodge are in the center of the big trees

Besides State Route 180, which runs through the heart of the grove, there is an un­paved loop road through the western section. The latter is one of the most scenic drives in the park, affording a closer inspection of the giant sequ­oias. These great trees are believed to be the oldest liv­ing things on earth.

Giant of Trees

Although Kings Canyon has the most impressive cluster of sequoias, nearby Sequoia Na­tional Park claims it has the champion of the big trees in the General Sherman. It is 272.4

Coastal redwoods, incidental­ly, grow slightly taller but not as thick. The tallest recorded coastal redwood—it is 364 feet high—is in Humboldt County in northwestern California.

Area Is Primitive

It takes little time to get primitive in Kings Canyon. State Route 180 meanders for about 30 miles along the south fork of the Kings River to Cedar Grove and comes to a dead end a few miles farther on at Zumwait Meadows.

Hardy hikers and horsemen then are on their own. Trails lead off in several directions;

The trail, which traverses the spine of the Sierra Nevada, is the only other entrance to the park. It begins about 40 miles to the south at Whitney Portal, near California's highest peak, 14,495‐foot Mount Whitney.

There are several other clus­ters of big trees in the western sector of the park. But the wide expanses of mountains, lakes and upland meadows to the east attract most hiking enthusiasts during the brief summer season. Most of the higher passes in Kings Canyon Park are not open until July, and by late Septem­ber the snows put an end to the hiking season.

Sixty‐Lake Basin, just off the Muir Trail, is no misnomer. Trout are plentiful in the vari­ous lakes and streams. The daily limit is 10 fish per person, of five pounds plus one fish.

Long Trips Available

Longer pack trips on horse­back are possible into remote areas in the northern reaches of the park. Considerable experi­ence, or a competent local guide, are requisites for reaching the Lake of the Fallen Moon, the Dumbbell Lakes or the Ionian Lakes.

However, any competent hiker at Grouse or Little Pete Mead­ows on the Muir Trail can work his way to within viewing dis­tance of two classically named peaks—Scylla, 12,888 feet, and Charybdis, 13,091 feet. They are just south of Muir Pass, where the trail hits the 12,000‐foot mark.

The trail observer will be de­lighted by glimpses of the park's numerous deer, foxes, squirrels and chipmunks. Overnight cam­pers should stay alert for black bears and an occasional bobcat. It is advisable to keep all food in metal containers and to se­cure or bury all garbage. These steps may help discourage noc­turnal visits from foraging animals.